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Junior Boys Volleyball News

Junior Boys Volleyball

Elphin reached the National Quarter Finals in the Cup competition and the National Semi Finals of the Shield competition last Tuesday in Ballinagare with teams from Elphin, Roscommon, Loughrea and Drumshanbo taking part.

Elphin A, Drumshanbo and St. Raphael’s had been drawn to face other in the cup, while Elphin B, Roscommon CC and St. Raphael’s B were drawn together in the shield competition.

Cup competition–

Elphin A lost to Drumshanbo:- 23-25,16-25

A bright opening from Elphin seen them open up a 7 point lead early with Sam Roddan

scoring 6 unanswered points from the service line. Drumshanbo responded to leave the sides 12-12 with R. Oberman and R. Moran setting well and spiking for the Leitrim school. From then on the sides traded scores to leave it 23-23 before D. McWeeney closed out the set 25-23.

Elphin were disappointed with the loss of the first set and let the setback compound their performance in the next set. Good scores from C. Burke and A. Gormley kept them in the match but the team were beating themselves with unforced errors before losing out 16-25.

Drunshanbo bt St. Raphaels A:- 25-11,25-12.

Elphin A bt St. Raphaels A:- 25-8, 25-13.

After witnessing Drumshanbo demolish St. Raphael’s in the previous match, the Elphin team had

a new belief that they could still progress to the National Quarter finals. H. Dowd and A. Shanahan were both now setting excellent ball for D. Main and S. Roddan and after opening up a 5 point lead at 11-6, Burke quickly added 7 points to open up a comfortable lead of 18-7 and Dowd closed out the set 25-8. E. Gunn was introduced for Burke in the second set and showed no signs of nerves as the first year covered the court well and scoredd two excellent points of his own. St. Raphael’s led 13-10 during this set but with 8 unanswered points for Elphin and a further 5 points, Elphin closed out the set comfortably 25-13.

Shield Competition:

Elphin B bt Roscommon CC:- 20-25,25-16, 25-19.

Elphin B began their day with a defeat in the first set to Roscommon CC coached by former student Shane Killoran. A largely inexperienced side with 7 first years on the panel played very well in a very close opening set before Roscommon pulled away to win 25-20. An over reliance on the forearm pass when a volley was a better option was continuing to be the Elphin teams undoing but eventually the team began to turn things around. D. Christie and K. Gilmartin were particuarily impressive in the second set with both winning crucial scores, to win the set 25-15.

Elphin began the third set well with L. Hill and then D. Christie opening up a 6 point lead at 8-2. Roscommon responded to leave a 2 point gap 10-8 before further scores from B. O’Connor and

Brennan left Elphn leading by 18-11. A. Dockery added 3 more scores before K. Gilmartin closed out the match 25-19.

Elphin B bt St. Raphael’s:- 25-18, 25-17.

Elphin knew that victory over the Galway side would put them into the semi finals of this years competition but it wasn’t until J. Brennan got 3 unanswered scores from the service lines that Elphin created a small but significant lead at 15-10. Elphin continued to lead for the rest of the set with L. Hill closing out the first set 25-18. In the second set Elphin made a number of changes with

Kennedy, L. Molloy, A. Twocock and S. Gormley all seeing action. Elphin had opened up an 8 point

gap leading 20-12 before the Loughrea school responded but with Elphin leading 23-17 the Roscommon school were not going to be denied and A. Dockery closed out the set 25-17.

It now means that Elphin A go forward to the National Quarter Finals while Elphin B go straight into the semi finals.